Portable and foldable outboard motor test tank

ABSTRACT

A test tank and method including a portable test tank comprising a foldable and durable material; wherein the portable test tank is configured to hold water and withstand a force of the water; and wherein the water is agitated by an outboard motor operating up to a maximum revolutions per minute (rpm) of the outboard motor. The method includes unfolding a portable test tank comprising a foldable and durable material; filling the unfolded portable test tank with water; wherein the portable test tank is configured to hold water and withstand a force of the water; and agitating the water in the portable test tank by an outboard motor operating up to a maximum revolutions per minute (rpm) of the outboard motor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present general inventive concept relates to a portsble and foldable outboard motor test tank that holds fresh water to allow an outboard motor on or off of a transom to be rinsed and tested before and after use while on dry land. The portable and foldable outboard motor test tank according to the present general inventive concept ensures maximum reliability of an outboard motor.

2. Description of Related Art

Previous outboard motor test tanks are not portable, not foldable, and not sufficiently durable to test military outboard motors at maximum revolutions per minute (rpm). Conventional outboard motor test tanks in all military and maritime markets are semi-permanent non-foldable metal tanks. As such, these conventional outboard motor test tanks are limited in the number of units available for use and, so, are often shared between many outboard motors causing long wait times and significant inefficiencies since operations generally end together and require simultaneous clean up and maintenance activities. Thus, simultaneous testing of more than a few outboard motors is not possible because, typically, there is only one or two outboard motor test tanks that are available for use.

Maintenance of an outboard motor should be done correctly and immediately following usage when shipboard or land-based and away from a maintenance facility. Current direct injected outboard motors use garden hoses with muffs over water intake screens or threaded fittings adapting the garden hoses. However, every outboard motor manufacture requires laptop computers be attached when running outboard motors to maximum rpm while establishing a load. The paradox is that having a laptop computer on a boat to get a proper load to establish back pressure will be challenging to keep the laptop computer dry while running the boat through open water. Even if this was feasible, the outboard motor still has to be rinsed in enough freshwater to get water through the outboard motor's water pump and to all of the outboard motor's cooling passages in the outboard motor's powerhead block. Conventional solutions, including using a garden hose, are not capable of getting freshwater through an outboard motor's water pump and all of the outboard motor's cooling passages.

Further, newer direct injected outboard motors are the next generation since carbureted outboard motors are not clean enough to be legally sold new in the United States. These direct injected outboard motors are less durable than their predecessors because there is no solution that tests these direct injected outboard motors in a realistic operational environment, while being hooked up to a laptop computer.

Therefore, there is a need for a low-cost, portable and foldable outboard motor test tank that can be provided with each outboard motor to allow for proper maintenance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present general inventive concept provides a portable and foldable outboard motor test tank which can be provided with each outboard motor, allows for ease of performing maintenance per manufacturer's requirement, ensuring the outboard motor's reliability and prolonging the outboard motor's life.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a test tank including a portable test tank formed of a foldable and durable material; wherein the portable test tank is configured to hold water and withstand a force of the water; and wherein the water is agitated by an outboard motor operating up to a maximum rpm of the outboard motor.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present general inventive concept may also be achieved by providing a method which includes unfolding a portable test tank formed of a foldable and durable material; filling the unfolded portable test tank with water; wherein the portable test tank is configured to hold water and withstand a force of the water; and agitating the water in the portable test tank by an outboard motor operating up to a maximum rpm of the outboard motor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a foldable outboard motor test tank in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present inventive concept;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank of FIG. 1 showing hidden lines;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank of FIG. 1 installed in a portable frame;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the foldable outboard motor test tank installed in the portable frame of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank of FIG. 1 installed in a portable frame and containing an outboard motor;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the foldable outboard motor test tank installed in the portable frame and containing the outboard motor of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the foldable outboard motor test tank installed in the portable frame and containing the outboard motor of FIG. 5 showing hidden lines;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view of the foldable outboard motor test tank installed in the portable frame and containing the outboard motor of FIG. 5 showing hidden lines;

FIG. 9A is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank of FIG. 1 in a partially folded state;

FIG. 9B is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank of FIG. 1 in a completely folded state;

FIG. 9C is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank of FIG. 1 in a completely folded state in a frame containing an outboard motor;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of a foldable outboard motor test tank in an unfolded state with integrated baffles according to another embodiment of the present inventive concept; and

FIG. 11 is a cross section of the foldable outboard motor test tank of FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The exemplary embodiments are described below in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures.

The present invention is a cost effective (e.g., low cost) portable and foldable outboard motor test tank. The portable anf foldable outboard motor test tank is provided with each outboard motor and allows for ease of performing maintenance per manufacturer's requirement, ensuring the outboard motor's reliability, and prolonging the outboard motor's life.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a foldable outboard motor test tank 100 in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present inventive concept.

Referring to FIG. 1, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is of a foldable and durable material that is sufficiently strong to hold water (e.g., freshwater) and withstand a force of the water produced by a propeller end 12 of an outboard motor 10 inserted into water contained in a cavity or storage compartment 102 of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 and operating at maximum rpms. For example, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is made of a rubberized material that is strong enough to withstand forces of water and otherwise produced by an outboard motor 10 operating at maximum rpms. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

The foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is of sufficient height and width to contain an amount of water (e.g. freshwater) so that a water pump and all cooling passages in a powerhead block of an outboard motor are filled with water when a propeller end 12 of the outboard motor 10 is submerged in the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 while containing the amount of water, and while on land or other dry surface.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 of FIG. 1 showing hidden lines.

Referring to FIG. 2, hidden lines of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 are shown to indicate that the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 has a volume for holding water.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 of FIG. 1 installed in a portable frame 20.

Referring to FIG. 3, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is installed in a portable frame 20. The portable frame 20 includes wheels 22 and handles 24 for easily moving the portable frame 20 from one location to another.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 installed in the portable frame of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 installed in the portable frame 20 is shown in an unfolded state.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 of FIG. 1 installed in a portable frame 20 and containing an outboard motor 10.

Referring to FIG. 5, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 installed in the portable frame 20 is shown in an unfolded state, where the outboard motor 10 is positioned on the frame 20 so that a propeller 12 of the outboard motor 10 is within the foldable outboard motor test tank 100.

The foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is illustrated within a portable (e.g., wheelable) frame 20 containing the outboard motor 10 to be moved, tested and/or cleaned.

The foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is designed and/or configured to efficiently ensure that the outboard motor 10 gets tested before use and immediately following operation which will duly rinse the outboard motor 10 immediately reducing contamination and corrosion. In other words, since the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 can be provided for the outboard motor, the time required to perform a manufacturer's recommended maintenance of the outboard motor is substantially reduced.

The outboard motor 10 still has to be rinsed in enough water (e.g., freshwater) to get water through the outboard motor's water pump and to all of the outboard motor's cooling passages in the outboard motor's powerhead block.

In the present embodiment, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is in an unfolded state as illustrated and forms a vessel that can hold water while controlling splash and exhaust fumes of the outboard motor. The shape of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 must be conducive to controlling the speed of water contained in the foldable outboard motor test tank 100. The outboard motor is designed to work in open water with correct payloads.

In the present embodiment, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is formed with a protrusion, bump, or extended portion 110 configured to baffle and/or reduce an amount of force the outboard motor 10 applies to an outer wall of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 when the outboard motor 10 is tested.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 installed in the portable frame and containing the outboard motor of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 6, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is installed in the portable frame in an unfolded state and contains the outboard motor 10.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 installed in the portable frame 20 and containing the outboard motor 10 of FIG. 5 showing hidden lines.

Referring to FIG. 7, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is installed in the portable frame 20 and contains the outboard motor 10 of FIG. 5, where the hidden lines show hidden parts of the outboard motor 10 (e.g., a propeller 12 and upper portion).

FIG. 8 is a side view of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 installed in the portable frame 20 and containing the outboard motor 10 of FIG. 5 showing hidden lines.

Referring to FIG. 8, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is installed in the portable frame 20 and contains the outboard motor 10 of FIG. 5, where the hidden lines show hidden parts of the outboard motor 10 (e.g., a propeller 12 and upper portion).

FIG. 9A is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 of FIG. 1 in a partially folded state, FIG. 9B is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 of FIG. 1 in a completely folded state, and FIG. 9C is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 of FIG. 1 in a completely folded state in a frame 20 containing an outboard motor 10.

Referring to FIGS. 9A through 9C, the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 is folded and rolled from a partially folded state to a completely folded state. The foldable outboard motor test tank 100 may be folded manually or by any other suitable method.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of the foldable outboard motor test tank 200 in an unfolded state with integrated baffles according to another embodiment of the present inventive concept.

Referring to FIG. 10, in some austere conditions, freshwater will be at a premium. One or more baffles 202 will be used to slow down water in the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 to prevent damaging the foldable outboard motor test tank 100.

In the present embodiment, the foldable outboard motor test tank 200 includes a plurality of baffles 202 to prevent water output from the outboard motor 10 from damaging the foldable outboard motor test tank 200, while allowing back pressure to reach realistic limits created by a boat while the outboard motor 10 is operated. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 11 is a cross section of the foldable outboard motor test tank 200 of FIG. 10.

Referring to FIG. 11, the baffles 202 of the foldable outboard motor test tank 200 of FIG. 10 are illustrated. The baffles 202 are designed and/or configured to flex as the water is agitated within the foldable outboard motor test tank 200.

In an alternate embodiment, the foldable outboard motor test tank 200 includes a cover to prevent water from escaping from the foldable outboard motor test tank 200. The cover may further be used to increase back pressure while reducing a total volume of water needed within the foldable outboard motor test tank 200. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.

A method of the foldable outboard motor test tank 100 includes a first step of unfolding a portable test tank 100 including a foldable and durable material.

A second step of the method is filling the unfolded portable test tank 100 with water, wherein the portable test tank 100 is configured to hold water within a cavity 102 and withstand a force of the water.

A third step of the method is agitating the water in the portable test tank 100 by the outboard motor operating up to a maximum revolutions per minute (rpm) of the outboard motor.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the foldable and durable material is a rubberized material.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the portable test tank 100 has a height and a width configured to contain an amount of water to fill a water pump and all cooling passages in a powerhead block of the outboard motor with water.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the portable tank is the shape of an open-top rectangular box in an unfolded state with a protrusion.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the portable tank is the shape of an open-top key-hole shaped box in an unfolded state.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the portable tank is flattened and rolled up in a folded state.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the portable tank is flattened and rolled up in a folded state.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the portable tank further includes at least one baffle configured to prevent water output from the outboard motor from damaging the test tank.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the portable tank further includes a cover configured to prevent water from escaping from the test tank.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the cover includes at least one slit configured to accommodate the outboard motor.

Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A test tank, comprising: a portable test tank comprising a foldable and durable material; wherein the portable test tank is configured to hold water and withstand a force of the water; and wherein the water is agitated by an outboard motor operating up to a maximum revolutions per minute (rpm) of the outboard motor.
 2. The test tank of claim 1, wherein the foldable and durable material is a rubberized material.
 3. The test tank of claim 1, wherein the portable test tank has a height and a width configured to contain an amount of water to fill a water pump and all cooling passages in a powerhead block of the outboard motor with water.
 4. The test tank of claim 1, wherein the portable tank is the shape of an open-top rectangular box with a protrusion in an unfolded state.
 5. The test tank of claim 1, wherein the portable tank is the shape of an open-top key-hole shaped box in an unfolded state.
 6. The test tank of claim 1, wherein the portable tank is flattened and rolled up in a folded state.
 7. The test tank of claim 1, wherein the portable tank is flattened and rolled up in a folded state.
 8. The test tank of claim 1, wherein the portable tank further comprises at least one baffle configured to prevent water output from the outboard motor from damaging the test tank.
 9. The test tank of claim 1, wherein the portable tank further comprises a cover configured to prevent water from escaping from the test tank.
 10. The test tank of claim 1, wherein the portable test tank further comprises a portable frame configured to hold the outboard motor.
 11. A method of a test tank, comprising: unfolding a portable test tank comprising a foldable and durable material; filling the unfolded portable test tank with water; wherein the portable test tank is configured to hold water and withstand a force of the water; and agitating the water in the portable test tank by an outboard motor operating up to a maximum revolutions per minute (rpm) of the outboard motor.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the foldable and durable material is a rubberized material.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the portable test tank has a height and a width configured to contain an amount of water to fill a water pump and all cooling passages in a powerhead block of the outboard motor with water.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the portable tank is the shape of an open-top rectangular box with a protrusion in an unfolded state.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the portable tank is the shape of an open-top key-hole shaped box in an unfolded state.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the portable tank is flattened and rolled up in a folded state.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the portable tank is flattened and rolled up in a folded state.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the portable tank further comprises at least one baffle configured to prevent water output from the outboard motor from damaging the test tank.
 19. The method of claim 11, wherein the portable tank further comprises a cover configured to prevent water from escaping from the test tank.
 20. The method of claim 9, wherein the portable test tank further comprises a portable frame configured to hold the outboard motor. 